‘Want to know Kandhamal riots acquittal reasons’

Bhubaneswar: National Commission for
Minorities (NCM) on Thursday sought to know the cause behind high
rate of acquittal of accused persons in the communal riots of
Kandhamal in 2008 even as it expressed satisfaction over the
rehabilitation measures taken by Odisha government.

"Commission wanted to know the reason behind large
acquittal of accused persons chargesheeted in riot cases,"
chief secretary BK Patnaik told reporters after having a
video conferencing with the members of NCM.

Though the state government claimed that it had given
due care for prosecution and proceeding of criminal cases, the
NCM was not fully satisfied over the high acquittal rate.

Of the 827 criminal cases registered in Kandhamal, 512
cases have been charge sheeted, the chief secretary said
adding 361 people in 65 cases have been convicted so far.

Remaining 321 cases are under trial, he said.

The NCM members, on their part pointed out that while
361 people were convicted, 2246 people have been acquitted
due to lack of proper evidence against them.

In an effort to book the culprits, the chief secretary
said the government have appointed two judicial commissions
under separate retired judges of High Court to examine all the
details of cases.

Special Prosecutors have also been engaged by the
government to deal with cases, Patnaik claimed adding the
Commission has expressed satisfaction over the rehabilitative
measures.